Today we’d like to introduce you to Karreno Alexanyan.
It’s an honor to speak with you today. Why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. How did you get to where you are today?
My name is Karreno Alexanyan, and I am the owner of Charqute – a boutique charcuterie and cheese board company. Prior to starting the business, I worked as a private chef and focused primarily on events. When the pandemic hit, I had to pivot my business in order to continue working as events started to cancel. One of my existing clients, for whom I designed a grazing table, asked me to create a charcuterie board for a small gathering, and that’s where the idea was born.
Right when I was about to launch my business, there was a war happening in Armenia and Artsakh. As an Armenian, I decided to help my community and donate 100% of the proceeds I earned during the first month to the families of the soldiers that were killed during the Artsakh War. The Armenian community discovered me through these fundraising efforts, and my business took off.
During the pandemic, I also created videos on my TikTok and Instagram accounts to showcase my work. One day, my TikTok videos went viral and helped my business gain more followers. Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank even commented on one of my videos. Because of my large social media presence, I was able to connect with large audiences from all over the world and currently have a social media following of over 100k people and over 7M views across all social media platforms.
I’m sure your success has not come easily. What challenges have you had to overcome along the way?
Starting a business during the pandemic was probably one of the biggest challenges I faced. During Covid-19, laws and regulations kept changing, making it really hard to plan things or find customers. Also, not having the financial stability as an entrepreneur at a time when the economy was faltering and people were losing jobs was incredibly challenging. Additionally, having to build everything from scratch, such as branding, marketing, product development, finding the right people and partnerships, and doing the actual work did not come easy. I overcame this by working hard, staying consistent, not being afraid to take risks, and fully believing in myself and what I was creating.
Let’s talk about the work you do. What do you specialize in and why should someone work with you over the competition?
I specialize in creating custom charcuterie and cheese boards, and I differentiate myself by focusing on l design and using fresh ingredients and sustainably sourced products. I am also a content creator on TikTok and Instagram, specializing in food, travel, tech gadgets, and charcuterie boards. Communication is at the forefront of my business because I like to connect with people on a personal level and provide excellent customer service. It’s because of this that I was able to work with companies, such as Netflix, Amazon, Le Creuset, 99 Cents Only stores, to name a few.
What’s your best piece of advice for readers who desire to find success in their life?
When you do what you love, there’s no limit to what you can achieve. You will never tire of it. In order to be successful, you have to set your own standards, continue to adapt to the environment, and keep setting goals. Focusing on effective communication with the people you work with and not being afraid to ask for what you want are also key components to finding success. Lastly, positioning yourself in a supportive environment helps you to become the best version of yourself.
Speaking of success, what does the word mean to you?
The word success means that you enjoy your work and you are getting paid to do what you love and are passionate about. It is when your work allows you to be yourself and offers you creative freedom. While I work twice as much as I did in my previous career, I love every second of it.
What’s next for you?
The next step for my business would be to focus on expanding my brand, both within the charcuterie & cheese board industry, as well as on social media. Considering the competitive landscape of social media, it’s going to be critical to focus on creating more videos and even transition to the world of augmented and virtual reality. I would also like to hire more people and expand my team so that I can make more time for personal travel and vacations.
Finally, how can people connect with you if they want to learn more?
Social Media
TikTok – @charquteOfficial
Instagram – @charqute
Phone – (657) 200-8555
Email – orders@charqute.com
Website – www.charqute.com